Mark Williams-Cook
@markwilliamscook.com
💌 Core Updates SEO newsletter: https://coreupdates.com
💻 Director at Candour https://withcandour.co.uk
💬 Founder at AlsoAsked https://alsoasked.com
🤝 Organiser at SearchNorwich https://searchnorwich.org
Fractional idiot. 100% gossip 0% innovation.
💻 Director at Candour https://withcandour.co.uk
💬 Founder at AlsoAsked https://alsoasked.com
🤝 Organiser at SearchNorwich https://searchnorwich.org
Fractional idiot. 100% gossip 0% innovation.
Pinned
Mark Williams-Cook
@markwilliamscook.com
· Jan 14
🎉 Happy to announce for 2025 that @withcandour.co.uk will be working with local charity Norfolk Clubhouse, who support persons facing mental health challenges.
Charity Trustee and Head of Search Tabby Farrar presented June Webb with our initial £10,000 donation 😇
Charity Trustee and Head of Search Tabby Farrar presented June Webb with our initial £10,000 donation 😇
Is there actually a way to stop spammers adding you to random Google Sheets of their bullshit? Or do we just have to live with this?
November 12, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Is there actually a way to stop spammers adding you to random Google Sheets of their bullshit? Or do we just have to live with this?
Is a bad metric worse than no metric?
November 12, 2025 at 7:23 AM
Is a bad metric worse than no metric?
Reposted by Mark Williams-Cook
Enshitification alert. Youtube has blocked speeding up playback of videos unless you pay a premium.
That means if you make videos where you speak in a slow drawl, I int gonna be a watching y'all.
That means if you make videos where you speak in a slow drawl, I int gonna be a watching y'all.
November 11, 2025 at 11:05 AM
Enshitification alert. Youtube has blocked speeding up playback of videos unless you pay a premium.
That means if you make videos where you speak in a slow drawl, I int gonna be a watching y'all.
That means if you make videos where you speak in a slow drawl, I int gonna be a watching y'all.
Moz webinar was fun. Being paired with @lilyray.nyc meant I was actively absorbing while trying to talk as well. I think we also set a new record with 2,700+ registrants 🔥🔥🔥
Chat was busy and fun, the hour flew by. Great questions on AI, DOJ, Google, browsers, trust, quality content and... "GEO" 🙃
Chat was busy and fun, the hour flew by. Great questions on AI, DOJ, Google, browsers, trust, quality content and... "GEO" 🙃
November 11, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Moz webinar was fun. Being paired with @lilyray.nyc meant I was actively absorbing while trying to talk as well. I think we also set a new record with 2,700+ registrants 🔥🔥🔥
Chat was busy and fun, the hour flew by. Great questions on AI, DOJ, Google, browsers, trust, quality content and... "GEO" 🙃
Chat was busy and fun, the hour flew by. Great questions on AI, DOJ, Google, browsers, trust, quality content and... "GEO" 🙃
Reposted by Mark Williams-Cook
I am excited to share a virtual recording of my talk from #MozCon last week titled:
GEO, AEO, LLMO: Separating Fact from Fiction & How to Win in AI Search
Check it out!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nJk...
GEO, AEO, LLMO: Separating Fact from Fiction & How to Win in AI Search
Check it out!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nJk...
GEO, AEO, LLMO: Separating Fact from Fiction & How to Win in AI Search - Lily Ray at MozCon 2025
YouTube video by Lily Ray
www.youtube.com
November 10, 2025 at 10:23 PM
I am excited to share a virtual recording of my talk from #MozCon last week titled:
GEO, AEO, LLMO: Separating Fact from Fiction & How to Win in AI Search
Check it out!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nJk...
GEO, AEO, LLMO: Separating Fact from Fiction & How to Win in AI Search
Check it out!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nJk...
SEO updates you ✨NEED✨ to know [10 November]: www.linkedin.com/posts/markse...
November 10, 2025 at 12:43 PM
SEO updates you ✨NEED✨ to know [10 November]: www.linkedin.com/posts/markse...
I know a lot of people rip on SEO courses, I put a lot of effort into mine and despite deciding not to update it anymore over a year ago, it brings me a lot of joy when I still see people explaining how it helped them ☺️
November 9, 2025 at 5:28 PM
I know a lot of people rip on SEO courses, I put a lot of effort into mine and despite deciding not to update it anymore over a year ago, it brings me a lot of joy when I still see people explaining how it helped them ☺️
Reposted by Mark Williams-Cook
Jonathan Moore says the foundation of smart analytics is mastering segmentation. By layering in secondary and custom dimensions, like content type, category, or even author, you unlock deeper diagnostics.
maj.to/47kZpAw
maj.to/47kZpAw
November 9, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Jonathan Moore says the foundation of smart analytics is mastering segmentation. By layering in secondary and custom dimensions, like content type, category, or even author, you unlock deeper diagnostics.
maj.to/47kZpAw
maj.to/47kZpAw
Reposted by Mark Williams-Cook
👉 63% of agents selected the first result – proof that being first still matters, even if ranking first doesn’t
👉 92% of agents relied on the Bing Search API
👉 46% of visits began in reading mode, using a text-based browser
👉 63% of first clicks immediately ended with the agent bouncing
🧵 2/3
👉 92% of agents relied on the Bing Search API
👉 46% of visits began in reading mode, using a text-based browser
👉 63% of first clicks immediately ended with the agent bouncing
🧵 2/3
When AI agents do the shopping: Insights from 100 conversations with ChatGPT Agent mode
As ChatGPT agents book, buy, and convert for users, SEO must evolve. Make your site agent-readable, accessible, and built to convert.
buff.ly
November 6, 2025 at 8:30 PM
👉 63% of agents selected the first result – proof that being first still matters, even if ranking first doesn’t
👉 92% of agents relied on the Bing Search API
👉 46% of visits began in reading mode, using a text-based browser
👉 63% of first clicks immediately ended with the agent bouncing
🧵 2/3
👉 92% of agents relied on the Bing Search API
👉 46% of visits began in reading mode, using a text-based browser
👉 63% of first clicks immediately ended with the agent bouncing
🧵 2/3
Literally made this exact point on Marketing Movers podcast today. “Well done, I found you. Now I don’t trust you”
For the record it was all companies :)
@wilreynolds.bsky.social just went off on the SEO agencies putting themselves (and their people) at the top of “best SEO” lists 😂😂👏🏽👏🏽
It might work for visibility (for now) but it does NOT work for trust.
#mozcon
It might work for visibility (for now) but it does NOT work for trust.
#mozcon
November 6, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Literally made this exact point on Marketing Movers podcast today. “Well done, I found you. Now I don’t trust you”
Woke up way too ill to deliver some in-person training. Wfh.
Made tea, immediately exploded mug on the kitchen floor.
Tried to work for a while. Turned up at 3pm for 2pm meeting, despite apparently checking calendar 14 times today.
How is your day?
Made tea, immediately exploded mug on the kitchen floor.
Tried to work for a while. Turned up at 3pm for 2pm meeting, despite apparently checking calendar 14 times today.
How is your day?
November 5, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Woke up way too ill to deliver some in-person training. Wfh.
Made tea, immediately exploded mug on the kitchen floor.
Tried to work for a while. Turned up at 3pm for 2pm meeting, despite apparently checking calendar 14 times today.
How is your day?
Made tea, immediately exploded mug on the kitchen floor.
Tried to work for a while. Turned up at 3pm for 2pm meeting, despite apparently checking calendar 14 times today.
How is your day?
I'm actually quite excited about this. I think it's the first event (to my albeit poor memory) I've done with @lilyray.nyc and I definitely my first thing for Moz.
moz.com/webinars/fut...
moz.com/webinars/fut...
November 5, 2025 at 1:31 PM
I'm actually quite excited about this. I think it's the first event (to my albeit poor memory) I've done with @lilyray.nyc and I definitely my first thing for Moz.
moz.com/webinars/fut...
moz.com/webinars/fut...
Reposted by Mark Williams-Cook
Looks like X is juicing web visit numbers by opening a browser WebView in the background whether the user visits the link or not.
They've re-invented pop-under fraud (allegedly).
news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4580...
They've re-invented pop-under fraud (allegedly).
news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4580...
![Tell HN: X is opening any tweet link in a webview whether you press it or not
247 points by stillatit 10 hours ago | hide | past | favorite | 200 comments
Just saw the CEO of Substack celebrating traffic from X/Twitter shooting up thinking they stopped suppressing tweets with links[0]. Actually, this traffic is because now any time you open a tweet with a link, the in-app webview loads in the background, and displays when you press the link.
I run an ecom store that gets a lot of its customers from Twitter. I was also shocked to see my traffic double or triple overnight and thought the algorithm had blessed me and my business. Soon realized what was actually happening. Thought other traffic-monitors might appreciate this explanation.
Meanwhile Nikita Bier is pretending they never suppressed tweets with links to begin with, offering the alternative explanation: "a common complaint is that posts with links tend to get lower reach. This is because the web browser covers the post and people forget to Like or Reply. So X doesn't get a clear signal whether the content is any good"[1]. A bit of a rewriting of history since Elon and his mom both tweeted about how it wasn't fair to use his platform to promote other links/platforms, even banning people who shared profiles of other social networks (including Paul Graham for a period). They suppressed all links shortly after.
[0] https://x.com/cjgbest/status/1985464687350485092
[1] https://x.com/nikitabier/status/1979994223224209709](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:tpg43qhh4lw4ksiffs4nbda3/bafkreia62cq7p2dn2o76cjuuzl5dpwaatnf5m5cl5bm7lmoprsavebgl4q@jpeg)
November 4, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Looks like X is juicing web visit numbers by opening a browser WebView in the background whether the user visits the link or not.
They've re-invented pop-under fraud (allegedly).
news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4580...
They've re-invented pop-under fraud (allegedly).
news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4580...
Reposted by Mark Williams-Cook
🔎 SEO TL;DR - BrightonSEO: Notes, Nuggets & Nerdiness from the Stage
Between half-term family fun, catching up with familiar faces, and trying to test all the learning from the event, this edition is fashionably late 😅
👉 seotldr.substack.com/p/brightonse...
#bSEO #ecommerce
Between half-term family fun, catching up with familiar faces, and trying to test all the learning from the event, this edition is fashionably late 😅
👉 seotldr.substack.com/p/brightonse...
#bSEO #ecommerce
BrightonSEO: Notes, Nuggets & Nerdiness From The Stage
SEO TL;DR #87 03/11/2025
seotldr.substack.com
November 3, 2025 at 1:06 PM
🔎 SEO TL;DR - BrightonSEO: Notes, Nuggets & Nerdiness from the Stage
Between half-term family fun, catching up with familiar faces, and trying to test all the learning from the event, this edition is fashionably late 😅
👉 seotldr.substack.com/p/brightonse...
#bSEO #ecommerce
Between half-term family fun, catching up with familiar faces, and trying to test all the learning from the event, this edition is fashionably late 😅
👉 seotldr.substack.com/p/brightonse...
#bSEO #ecommerce
Reposted by Mark Williams-Cook
You've heard about colouring books...
But have you heard about a ˗ˏˋ CSS colouring book!? ˎˊ˗
Introducing the @nordcraft.com CSS colouring book today!
Get out your CSS pencils and get colouring! 😃
nordcraft.com/coloring-book
But have you heard about a ˗ˏˋ CSS colouring book!? ˎˊ˗
Introducing the @nordcraft.com CSS colouring book today!
Get out your CSS pencils and get colouring! 😃
nordcraft.com/coloring-book
Nordcraft Coloring Book
Just clone the template and start coloring 🎨🖌️
nordcraft.com
October 30, 2025 at 3:56 PM
You've heard about colouring books...
But have you heard about a ˗ˏˋ CSS colouring book!? ˎˊ˗
Introducing the @nordcraft.com CSS colouring book today!
Get out your CSS pencils and get colouring! 😃
nordcraft.com/coloring-book
But have you heard about a ˗ˏˋ CSS colouring book!? ˎˊ˗
Introducing the @nordcraft.com CSS colouring book today!
Get out your CSS pencils and get colouring! 😃
nordcraft.com/coloring-book
Reposted by Mark Williams-Cook
Our 100th podcast episode is out! open.spotify.com/episode/3yrt...
This one is a bit sillier than the others, but I liked to poke people about their favorite moments in the past episodes... what's your favorite moment?
This one is a bit sillier than the others, but I liked to poke people about their favorite moments in the past episodes... what's your favorite moment?
How Search Off the Record tackles SEO and web development
open.spotify.com
October 30, 2025 at 11:53 PM
Our 100th podcast episode is out! open.spotify.com/episode/3yrt...
This one is a bit sillier than the others, but I liked to poke people about their favorite moments in the past episodes... what's your favorite moment?
This one is a bit sillier than the others, but I liked to poke people about their favorite moments in the past episodes... what's your favorite moment?
Sounds like it has potential 😏
November 3, 2025 at 1:16 PM
Sounds like it has potential 😏
Are you interested in literal hell?
November 3, 2025 at 11:59 AM
Are you interested in literal hell?
Reposted by Mark Williams-Cook
If you're using a cloud provider to host images / videos / other content, you can and should verify the host in Search Console, so that you're aware of potential issues that affect Google's crawling & indexing, & Safe Browsing. Use a DNS CNAME to the bucket, then verify with DNS. More: (1/n)
November 3, 2025 at 9:42 AM
If you're using a cloud provider to host images / videos / other content, you can and should verify the host in Search Console, so that you're aware of potential issues that affect Google's crawling & indexing, & Safe Browsing. Use a DNS CNAME to the bucket, then verify with DNS. More: (1/n)
I find it very hard to intellectually escape from hard determinism, which is depressing.
But I guess I was always going to think that? 🤔
But I guess I was always going to think that? 🤔
November 3, 2025 at 12:42 AM
I find it very hard to intellectually escape from hard determinism, which is depressing.
But I guess I was always going to think that? 🤔
But I guess I was always going to think that? 🤔
Reposted by Mark Williams-Cook
Are you worried about declining traffic?
Join our live AMA with @lilyray.nyc and @markwilliamscook.com
📆 Monday, November 10, 2025
⌚ 6pm GMT / 1pm EST / 10am PST
Don’t miss this session if you’re planning your next big SEO move.
moz.com/webinars/fut...
Join our live AMA with @lilyray.nyc and @markwilliamscook.com
📆 Monday, November 10, 2025
⌚ 6pm GMT / 1pm EST / 10am PST
Don’t miss this session if you’re planning your next big SEO move.
moz.com/webinars/fut...
The Practical Marketer Webinar - How to Prepare for the Future of Search in 2026
Join Chima Mmeje, Lily Ray, and Mark Williams-Cook for this episode of the Practical Marketer webinar series, where we'll talk about all the biggest search changes that happened in 2025 and the way fo...
moz.com
November 1, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Are you worried about declining traffic?
Join our live AMA with @lilyray.nyc and @markwilliamscook.com
📆 Monday, November 10, 2025
⌚ 6pm GMT / 1pm EST / 10am PST
Don’t miss this session if you’re planning your next big SEO move.
moz.com/webinars/fut...
Join our live AMA with @lilyray.nyc and @markwilliamscook.com
📆 Monday, November 10, 2025
⌚ 6pm GMT / 1pm EST / 10am PST
Don’t miss this session if you’re planning your next big SEO move.
moz.com/webinars/fut...
Reposted by Mark Williams-Cook
New in Search Console Insights: Query Groups. Makes it easier to track how things are changing (or not) for a group of similar queries from traditional search, AI Overviews, and AI Mode. #SEO #AEO
developers.google.com/search/blog/...
developers.google.com/search/blog/...
Introducing Query groups in Search Console Insights | Google Search Central Blog | Google for Developers
developers.google.com
October 27, 2025 at 2:44 PM
New in Search Console Insights: Query Groups. Makes it easier to track how things are changing (or not) for a group of similar queries from traditional search, AI Overviews, and AI Mode. #SEO #AEO
developers.google.com/search/blog/...
developers.google.com/search/blog/...
We're hiring for a Digital PR specialist at @withcandour.co.uk. It's hybrid, you'll get a profit share in the agency, private health care, a ton of benefits, as well as *gasps* being treated like an adult 😄 withcandour.co.uk/about/news/d...
Digital PR Specialist job at Candour (Hybrid/Remote, UK)
We’re seeking a confident digital PR professional who has experience creating and pitching campaigns for clients across a range of different sectors.
withcandour.co.uk
October 27, 2025 at 3:07 PM
We're hiring for a Digital PR specialist at @withcandour.co.uk. It's hybrid, you'll get a profit share in the agency, private health care, a ton of benefits, as well as *gasps* being treated like an adult 😄 withcandour.co.uk/about/news/d...